MANHATTAN — What New Yorker hasn't dreamed of living within walking distance of Central Park? Although it's hard to find much of a deal right around the park, you don't have to spend multi-millions on an extravagant townhouse either. Here are three apartments within walking distance from New York's most iconic green space.
100 W. 57th St., #10G, Midtown
Two Bedrooms/Two baths
Approximately 1,050 square feet
Co-op
$875,000
Maintenance: $2,160 a month
Open House: Sunday, March 20, noon to 2:00 p.m.
Lowdown: This two-bedroom apartment at Carnegie House, a 324-unit co-op, has a lower price than usual because the building operates under something called a land lease, said Sotheby's broker Kristi Ambrosetti.
That means the co-op does not own its land and instead pays rent for it, which results in higher monthly carrying charges. Still, said Ambrosetti, “this is a great investment for the buyer who understands the terms of the land lease.”
Ambrosetti said the current owner wanted the apartment “priced to encourage interest,” with an expectation that the selling price will go above the ask.
The owner bought the apartment a year and a half ago, after it was fully renovated. A second bedroom, separated by a sliding frosted glass door, was added during the renovation.
“It's a very flexible room,” said Ambrosetti, noting it could be used as a bedroom, office or both. “The frosted glass allows all of the natural light to come into the living room,” she said.
The renovation also modernized the floor plan, creating a large open living and dining room designed for entertaining.
“Other post-war buildings just don't get this feeling of space,” Ambrosetti noted.
Location: “This building is at the foot of Central Park,” said Ambrosetti. “There's bike storage in the building, so you could just take your bike out and go straight into that greener part of the city.”
Down the block from the apartment are the N/Q/R trains at 57th St. and 7th Ave.
Why put it on your open house calendar? “For tremendous value in a prestigious co-op,” Ambrosetti said.
215 W. 88th St., #10A, Upper West Side
One bedroom/One bath
Approximately 766 square feet
Condo
$1.2 million
Common charges: $730 a month
Taxes: $588 a month
Open House: Sunday, March 20, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Lowdown: This prewar building was gut renovated and converted to condos in 2008. The original buyers, who haven't made any changes to the apartment, put it on the market about a week ago.
“This apartment is ideal for someone who would like a little privacy,” said broker Licia Sbardella, who works for her own firm, Licia Sbardella Inc.
“The apartment only has one neighboring wall with another apartment, and it's in the kitchen,” she said.
The apartment, located on the tenth of 12 floors, also has interior-facing windows, meaning it mostly stays quiet.
According to Sbardella, the kitchen is the main attraction of the unit.
“People are always impressed by it during showings,” she said. She didn't think it was the ideal kitchen for entertaining, but rather a comfortable space for someone who loved to cook.
“There's a huge window inside the kitchen, which is nice when people are cooking,” she said.
Location: The apartment is two blocks east of Central Park, which Sbardella called “an especially nice walk in the summer.” The building is hugged by the main drags of Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue and is one block from the 1 train at 86th Street and Broadway.
Why put it on your open house calendar? “The prewar details and the custom finishes,” said Sbardella.
315 W. 112th St., #1, Harlem
Three bedrooms/Three-and-a-half baths
Approximately 2,686 square feet
Condo
$3.3 million
Common charges: $437 a month
Taxes: $1,125 a month
Open House: Sunday, March 20, 1:30 to 3:00 p.m.
Lowdown: A developer purchased this historic townhouse, which came with buildable rights, and expanded it to accommodate two condo apartments, according to Compass broker Jon Capobianco.
A fifth floor was added. The basement was excavated and the back wall was expanded 11 feet, he said. The upper unit, which comes with a roof deck, already went into contract with an ask of $3.5 million.
This lower unit comes with a two-tiered garden space that's accessed through the lower level of the triplex. One potential buyer, said Capobianco, considered putting a hot tub in the outdoor space.
“It could be done with room for lounge chairs,” Capobianco said.
Expanding the back of the building also resulted in a double-height space between the lower and garden levels of the condo.
“The kitchen looks out onto a glass curtain wall,” Capobianco said. “You get a wonderful flow with that double height space.”
And because the building is next to a vacant lot, windows were punched into the side to ensure even more light.
“To have those side windows, it's unusual for a townhouse,” Capobianco said.
Location: “You're a half block from Morningside Park and two blocks from Central Park,” said Capobianco, who added that the restaurants along Fredrick Douglas Boulevard are around the corner. The closet subway, the B/C line at Cathedral Parkway/110th St., is about a five minute walk.
Why put it on your open house calendar? “It's a brand new, mint condition property that's a great value considering its proximity to restaurants, transportation options and the parks,” Capobianco said.
